- Akilesh Gupta appeared in the Lichtenburg Magistrate's Court for the second time on charges of murder and contravening the Immigration Act
- CCTV footage circulating on social media appears to capture the moments before Warrant Officer Eunice Nortman was struck by a white BMW SUV
- Friends of the 53-year-old police officer attended court to demand justice and oppose a possible bail application
Source: Twitter
NORTH WEST — Akilesh Gupta returned to the Lichtenburg Magistrate's Court for his second appearance on charges of murder and contravening the Immigration Act, in connection with the death of 53-year-old Warrant Officer Eunice Nortman.
Nortman died after she was allegedly struck and driven over by a white BMW SUV at Lichtenburg Mall the previous Monday. The incident has deeply affected the local community, with friends and colleagues of the deceased gathering at court to show solidarity with her family.
CCTV footage circulates online
Video footage that has been shared widely on social media appears to show Nortman approaching a pedestrian crossing after parking her vehicle. According to accounts accompanying the footage, she signalled to the driver of a white BMW SUV that she intended to cross before the vehicle allegedly struck her at speed and drove over her, coming to a stop near a second car. Nortman was left unconscious at the scene as members of the public gathered around her.
The footage has drawn widespread attention and renewed calls for accountability in the case.
See video of Gupta in court here:
Friends oppose bail as case is postponed
Those who attended the court proceedings described Nortman as a warm and well-loved individual whose death had left a mark on the Lichtenburg community. Several expressed firm opposition to any prospect of Gupta being granted bail.
The magistrate's court postponed the matter to 6 November 2026, with the State requiring additional time to secure a qualified Hindi-speaking interpreter for the accused. Gupta is expected to lodge a formal bail application when the case resumes, and he remains in custody in the interim.
The November appearance is anticipated to bring greater clarity on the direction of the case, including whether Gupta's bail application will be heard and how the prosecution intends to proceed.
Eunice Nortman's husband pays tribute
Briefly News also reported that the death of a North West police officer has left her family devastated, with her husband struggling to come to terms with losing the woman he shared 30 years of marriage with. Willem said he was at home when his mother-in-law called to inform him about the accident. He immediately rushed to the scene. He found his wife lying on the ground, surrounded by paramedics. Although her eyes were open, she appeared confused and did not respond when he spoke to her.
Source: Briefly News
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